For the third time in a row (2009, 2011 and 2013), Chr. Hansen has received a Food Ingredients Excellence Award in the Dairy Innovation of the Year category for its SaltLite product at Food Ingredients Europe 2013 held in November in Frankfurt, Germany.
The company says the SaltLite concept contains only natural ingredients already used in the manufacture of cheese.
It is a cultures and enzymes solution that enables cheese producers to cut sodium content by up to 50% while maintaining taste and texture.
It includes DVS starter and adjunct cultures, as well as the cheese coagulant CHY-MAX M.
The cultures enhance the flavour profile of reduced sodium cheese while CHY-MAX M contributes to improved texture and reduced bitterness.
“The award judges have acknowledged that SaltLite enables cheese manufacturers to overcome the traditional challenges of reduced sodium cheese and produce high quality products. Reducing sodium in cheese is technically challenging as it has adverse impact on taste, texture and shelf life,” says enzymes marketing manager Timothy Wallace.
Commercial attempts to reduce salt in cheese have been largely unsuccessful due to poor product quality.
Although consumers desire healthier foods, most are unwilling to trade quality for health.
Using SaltLite, cheese producers are able to reduce sodium levels up to 50% while ensuring exceptional product quality, he says.
